My mom trudged through four years of college with four kids to earn her nursing degree (and graduated magna cum laude, she will promptly — and repeatedly — inform you).

Her job as a nurse left her with little time or energy to spend on being an extraordinary entertainer, something she’s always had an innate talent for. One day as a small girl, though, I went to forage in the kitchen and found her frantically frying doughnuts.

There was literally a multi-tiered tower of doughnuts on the kitchen table. There were more doughnuts bouncing around in hot oil on the stove. There were pale, puffy rings on the counter waiting for their turn in the stock pot.

And then there was little Julie in the middle of the madness — and I was all about eating some doughnuts.

When the ladies arrived, Mom was somehow curled and coiffed, standing in a clean kitchen, and wearing a cute outfit. The tower of doughnuts beckoned enthusiastically from the table as she invited each of her friends to sit and poured them coffee. I watched in eager anticipation, certain they were about to notice the doughnuts and react with appropriate awe.

But they didn’t.

No worries. My mom would offer them the doughnuts in a moment, and they were probably just waiting on that polite social cue to reveal their utter amazement. Sure enough, she gestured toward one of tiers resplendent with multicolored rings, saying, “Would you like a doughnut?” But the unthinkable happened.

“Oh, no thanks.”

That’s right. Those ladies did not eat a single doughnut. They were dieting, or they weren’t hungry, or some such something.

My mom carried on warm conversation, refilling their coffee like nothing had happened. Like fresh homemade doughnuts just appeared on her kitchen table any old day! Like she hadn’t just spent literally hours making them from scratch!

At 7 or 8 years old, I was not so deft a hostess. I sort of wanted to grab one of those ladies by both shoulders and give her a good shaking, screaming, “SHE MADE YOU HOMEMADE DOUGHNUTS, WOMAN!” I had seen Mom’s hours of hard work, and I was heartbroken for her.

The ladies left before too long, having accomplished their adulty, workish business, and the doughnuts still sat undisturbed on the table. I could tell Mom was sad about it, despite my assurances that I would both eat and enjoy every last one.

Seriously, who turns down a homemade doughnut?! In fact, who turns down ANY version of a yeast doughnut?! (Those cakey things are another story altogether; you’ll have to forgive my obvious bias.)

Indeed, Mike’s mom told me a story years ago about when she was in school. She and her friends would wait for the “Hot Doughnuts Now” sign to come on at the nearby Krispy Kreme, drive over, and eat a dozen doughnuts each. That’s the power of a yeast doughnut. (And youthful metabolism).

Well, in honor of my mother and doughnut lovers everywhere, I made a variety of filled doughnuts last weekend. I’m still tweaking my super secret version — and will share it soon, along with a great little trick for using yeast dough scraps — but this flavor combination I found on Cherry Tea Cakes had me immediately intrigued. Maple Bacon Doughnuts!

They don’t just sound amazing; they are amazing! And even though it may seem like a trendy flavor combination, these are not simply novelty doughnuts — they taste flippin’ awesome. They’re pillows of salty-sweet, doughnut-pancake, breakfast-dessert heaven. I feel like I should be confused, but I’m not. I just want another one.

While we’re talking doughnuts, we might as well jump in the fray: Are you a cake doughnut or yeast doughnut person?

Directions: Make the doughnut dough: Dissolve the yeast in warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer, and then let it sit for about 5 minutes. The yeast should foam to show that it’s active. Beat in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 1 cup flour (scraping down bowl when needed). Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to fully combine. Mix in remaining flour completely. Cover this dough and let it rise in a draft-free place (I warm my oven for a few seconds on 200 degrees just to get the chill out — make sure it’s not hot! — and then put my dough in there to rise) until doubled, about 50-60 minutes.

Make the Maple Mousse: While the dough is rising, bring maple syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Pour about 1/4 cup of the hot maple syrup into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, to temper them and be sure they won’t cook from the heat. Then whisk the egg yolks into the maple syrup. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches about 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer. In a separate bowl, measure out 1/4 cup of the whipping cream and sprinkle the gelatin over it to soften. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before mixing a couple of tablespoons of the warm syrup mixture in and stirring to dissolve the gelatin. You can heat for 10 seconds at a time, stirring between each, to ensure the gelatin is dissolved. Whisk this mixture into the syrup mixture, and then whisk it occasionally for the next hour while it cools.

Beat the remaining cream to soft peaks. Stir about a third of it into your now-cool maple syrup mixture to lighten it, and then gently fold the remaining cream into it. Refrigerate for at least an hour while you complete the rest of the components.

Make your doughnuts: Flour a surface well and turn your doughnut dough out onto it, flouring the dough as well. Gently roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut into solid rounds with a 3-inch cooking cutter. Place each round on a baking sheet and let these rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. About 25 minutes into their rise time, start heating your oil in a heavy, deep stock pot to 350 degrees F on a candy/fry thermometer.

Cook bacon topping: Preheat oven to 400 degrees (only once your doughnuts aren’t in there rising!) Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lay your bacon slices out side by side. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate, reserving the bacon grease in a small bowl. When cool, crumble bacon up.

Fry your doughnuts: Gently lower 2-3 doughnuts at a time into hot oil with a slotted spoon. Fry about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Make the Maple Bacon Glaze: Add enough melted butter to your bacon grease to make it 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons worth. Whisk this together with the confectioner’s sugar until combined. Add maple syrup one tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency. Set aside.

Assemble doughnuts: Use a chopstick or butter knife to poke into each doughnut and “sweep” gently to create a pocket. Pipe mousse into each doughnut using a piping bag. Then dip them in the glaze and sprinkle cooked bacon on top. Best eaten the same day.

100 Comments on Maple Bacon Doughnuts

I would probably jump up and scream ever now. I can’t imagine people doing such a thing, even though I’m dieting, if somebody offers me homemade anything, I make sure to have atleast one! I’m sure that wouldn’t happen to these doughnuts though, they look amazing!

I feel so bad for your mom I’ve been in that position before too (and not just with doughnuts) and as much as I understand, it still really sucks. I get so excited about sharing and then people are just like, “eh… No thanks.” I’m not so much sad that they’re not eating them, just sad that they can’t bring themselves to appreciate them.

Vivian (AKA Mom)

May 3, 2011 at 10:03 am (4 years ago)

I do not remember making them, but I remember thinking “more for us” when they leave! I remember eating a ton of them, myself, when they left… (back then I had a super-metabolism, too). Now, I would probably be one to say a polite “no thanks”! I did eat NINE cream filled KK when told I HAD to eat whatever I could get down to gain weight with Alex!

I also have a recipe for a Maple Bacon yeast roll that is SO good! And although is sounds awful, do you remember the pancake batter coated hot dog roll pastries? From the Bill Rice Ranch? I could never believe they were hot dog buns!!! :0 Tasted like fresh, filled pastries!

I was always a cinnamon cake donut myself. I think the other ones were glazed/filled with too much sugar for me….of course it’s moot now since I’m celiac- BUT- I am drooling to try a maple bacon donut! Oh heavens! Maple bacon anything is incredible, but I”m loving the donut. I’m going to have to figure out how to get a second rise out of my yeast dough and see if I can’t come up with something that will work. And your Mom- what an awesome human being!

I am a yeast doughnut girl 100%. We make them in the bakery: they are called Berliners in German. Everyday I have to fill and glaze a few hundred, if not a few thousand of them depending on the time of year! The resistance I have to not shove them all in mouth is ridiculous because they are hot and waaaay too delicious! Yummmm!

Hi! Your doughnuts look delicious….would it be rude to eat them all? JK. But seriously, I DO think that it is rude to snub the work that your host has clearly gone to! It’s not as if your mom whipped out to Tim Horten’s and grabbed a box of doughnuts. They were FRESH!! Helloooo! Anyway, yours look delicious and I can’t wait to see your recipe!

I kind of want to try some various cake doughnuts now after someone mentioned Dunkin aren’t the best — they’re the only ones I’ve had! But I still think I’ll be a yeast doughnut gal when all is said and done

Kim

May 4, 2011 at 11:22 pm (4 years ago)

these look so good, but unless they’re the frsh doughnuts from the farmer’s stand about 15 minutes from my house, I’m a cake doughnut girl all the way. I could live off Tim Horton’s Maple Dipped or their Vanilla Dipped doughnuts, I swear.

Vivian (AKA Mom)

May 5, 2011 at 12:01 am (4 years ago)

Dad, Alex, and I actually ate doughnuts all through Vermont (or was it Maine?) once! We ate our way through about 3 states eating from establishments from the book Roadfood. Yep, you didn’t get your love of food from the air, ya know!

starre

May 5, 2011 at 9:27 am (4 years ago)

when I was little my gramps did carpentry for a company that built Krispy Kreme shops; this was back in the 60’s He would bring home boxes of free doughnuts. Thus began my love affair with deep fried wonders. He had a soft spot for cruellers. To this day when I see that kind of doughnut I think of my grampa. My favs are those old fashion buttermilk ones with that perfect slight hint of nutmeg. Having said that though I will eat any kind and can’t even conceive of someone turning down a fresh homemade doughnut. I mean come on were they CRAZY

creativkitchen

May 6, 2011 at 11:15 pm (4 years ago)

Oh wow….can’t pass up Krispy Kreme ever!! I grew up in Winston-Salem, NC from age 10 on….and seriously thought those were the only kind of doughnuts. Imagine my disappointment biting into a dunkin doughnut for the first time. I was stumped as to why they didn’t taste as good. Every summer when I’m back home, I treat my 3 girls to hot Krispy Kremes with ice cold milk. It’s a tradition we ALL love!!!

You’ve got me thinking of trying the homemade yeasted doughnuts here…it’s been ages since I have. My girls would flip

Cathy (cattarina)

May 15, 2011 at 8:01 pm (4 years ago)

I want to change my answer. I originially said yeast, and while I’m still partial to yeast – especially filled….I want to choose donuts that YOU or your Mom make!!! My heavens Julie, those look so good I think I’m drooling

Yayyy I hope your friend LOVES them! If you’re new to deep frying as well, just be sure to use a candy thermometer and get the oil to the right temperature — then just take your time and fry up a doughnut or two at a time. My first ones ALWAYS come out too dark, and then I can fiddle with how long I leave them in Good luck!! Let me know how it goes!

He and my Dad loved them! I somehow messed up the mousse though, so they didn’t have that. I may have measured tablespoons instead of teaspoons and when I took it out of the fridge it was hard!! ooops! They were still good without it though! After all that work though, I can imagine how pissed your mom must have been!!

AnonymousPortlander

December 14, 2011 at 12:49 pm (3 years ago)

The maple bacon doughnut originated in Portland, Oregon at Voodoo Doughnuts in 2003. It however has no filling which makes me sad as my favourites are the ones with fillings. If you wanted to get some more ideas of insane doughnut creations check them out sometime. Capt Crunch, Cocoa Puffs and Tang are all toppings…they even had a Nyquil one at a point in time!

Kimberly

July 17, 2012 at 9:44 pm (3 years ago)

Well, my attempt was a disaster. In all honesty, these are probably the most difficult directions I have ever tried to follow. Cathy…do not feel alone. My mousse did not come out either. Had I been thinking ahead of time, I would have known better than to heat sugar to 170 degrees F. At this point, we have taffy. I had to throw it down the sink. So disheartening considering the cost of pure maple syrup. I only had enough syrup left to make the glaze. I improvised and made regular shaped donuts (with a hole in the middle) and then glazed and bacon’d (I know that is not a word, but anything bacon’d is better, don’t you agree?) them. All in all, an okay recipe, but not for first timers and I will not attempt it again. And by all means, please do not use 11 1/4 teaspoons of gelatin. :o)

Hi Kimberly, I’m so sorry these didn’t work out for you! FYI, the 170 is just the point needed to cook the eggs — you’ll find this temperature is standard in almost any custard recipe that includes raw eggs (think lemon curd, for instance). Are you sure you weren’t looking at 270? The mixture should still be creamy at 170.

I know how sad it is to put energy into a recipe and have it not turn out, so I’m sorry your experience wasn’t a good one!

Kimberly

July 17, 2012 at 9:58 pm (3 years ago)

Girl, I don’t know, lol. The directions say to temper the eggs and then pour back into the maple syrup (sugar) and whisk constantly until they reach 170. Maybe my thermometer was off? I’ve cooked enough to know that you win some and lose some. Losses are mainly due to user error (being me) so I always factor that in. My time in the kitchen is therapy for me so good or bad, I’ve had a good day. I feel terrible for your mother, now knowing how much work she put into these. The end result was just fine. Thank you for your blog and your response. Happy baking!

Joy

August 29, 2012 at 10:20 am (3 years ago)

I made these this morning. They are incredible! My husband even photographed them. They were also super easy to make. I’ve never posted a thank you to a blog before, but this warrants it. Thanks so much!

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